In a conventional environment, obtaining circuit-status information and remotely testing network elements in a telecommunications network are very technician-intensive tasks. An example of such a telecommunications network is a Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) network, which is offered by Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOCs) to Network Service Providers (NSPs). NSPs, also known as Internet Service Providers (ISPs), subsequently offer high-speed Internet access to their residential, commercial, and academic customers via the DSL network.
Conventionally, Network Service Provider (NSP) technicians call Regional Bell Operating Company (RBOC) technicians to determine whether NSP Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) circuits have been provisioned by the RBOC. This conventional process is employee-intensive for both the NSP and the RBOC, typically requiring NSP technicians to call RBOC technicians, who must then log into multiple management systems to ascertain the status of the circuit or circuits in question. Such a conventional process may engage NSP and RBOC employees for long periods of time.
Additionally, when a NSP technician wants to test network elements in an attempt to isolate a fault, a similar process is often carried out in a conventional environment. The NSP technician must call a RBOC technician and request that tests be performed on a certain network element. The RBOC technician will then perform the requested tests and report the results to the NSP technician. As with conventional circuit provisioning status determinations, such a process may engage NSP and RBOC employees for long periods of time.
Another conventional method of providing network element test results and circuit status information to a requesting NSP technician involves the electronic transfer of work order or trouble ticket status messages. Such a method is often implemented using email. A NSP technician sends an email message with an attached work order or trouble ticket and requests circuit status information or a testing of at least one network element. He response from the RBOC technician is an email containing an attachment of the circuit status or network element test results. Such a process, however, is still employee-intensive for both a NSP and a RBOC.
An additional conventional method is implemented by the Topaz system. Topaz is a performance monitoring application for web sites that was developed by Mercury Interactive. Although Topaz may identify network segments that are congested, it does not identify network elements that are defective.
What is needed are methods and systems that overcome the shortcomings of conventional systems. Such methods and systems should provide additional advantages, including cost effectiveness and ease of implementation.